To Whom I May Concern®: A performance shares a powerful insight into living with dementia

This year, the first public Australian performances of To Whom I May Concern® are set to hit Sydney. The show brings to the stage compelling personal narratives intertwined with live music, sharing a powerful and heartbreaking story of diagnosis for people living with dementia, and what life looks like beyond the diagnosis.

A unique collaboration between Group Homes Australia, the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Dementia Australia, the performance sees individuals share their poignant and uniquely personal experiences of living with dementia and mild cognitive impairment through verbatim theatre and music curated and performed by musicians from the Australian Chamber Orchestra.

Group Homes Australia Founder and Executive Director, Tamar Krebs said, “We are proud to partner with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, UNSW and Dementia Australia to change the narrative around dementia diagnoses and highlight a need to reimagine living with dementia.

"Through this production, we want to shine a spotlight on those living with dementia by creating a space for their stories to be seen and heard. In a bid to ignite conversations within the community, To Whom I May Concern® shifts perceptions and erases stigmas, redefining the possibilities for those living with dementia. Though sometimes confronting, the audience is encouraged to listen, celebrate, and wrestle in the mess of their stories.”

ACO Managing Director Richard Evans said, “The Australian Chamber Orchestra is proud to be involved in this world-first collaboration with Group Homes Australia, Dementia Australia and UNSW, that shines a spotlight on the lived experiences of individuals diagnosed with dementia.

“Music has been shown to be an astonishingly powerful means to connect with individuals living with dementia, resulting in significant improvements in cognitive function and emotional wellbeing. This important collaboration aims to provide a much-needed platform for individuals to tell their stories in an
open-minded, illuminating and empathetic musical setting, shifting public perception and stereotypes on what a dementia diagnosis can look like.”

Dementia Australia Advocate Nell Hawe said, “Being diagnosed with dementia in 2020 was a pivotal moment in my life. Following my diagnosis I have become and remain an active member of the Dementia Australia Dementia Advocates Program, an important cause for those with dementia and I’m honoured to show my support further by telling my story via this moving performance.

Dementia can take many things from you, but it doesn’t have to steal everything. I try to live in the moment and surround myself with good people, and I like to remind others to always be kind, because dementia is not.”

Dementia Australia CEO, Maree McCabe AM said, “Dementia Australia exists to support the estimated half a million Australians living with dementia and almost 1.6 million people involved in their care. Through this insightful and moving portrayal, our aim is to educate Australians around this life changing diagnosis, challenging the audience to shift their perception of people living with dementia.”

The result of several months of facilitated group conversations around personal experiences of life with dementia, To Whom I May Concern® distils these stories, bringing to the stage key moments; from noticing initial changes in their lives to receiving and sharing their diagnosis with others, through to the process of learning to adjust their daily lives, and their hopes for the future.

Running on two dates only (24th and 25th February 2023), tickets can be purchased via aco.com.au/whats-on/2023/to-whom-i-may-concern

Click here to find out more about Group Homes Australia